By :Rezvan Moghaddam

On June 5, 2025, the body of Maryam Eshaghi, a 13-year-old girl with Afghan
nationality, was found in an orchard near the village of Yekeh-Bagh, close to Qom.
Maryam had traveled to the area with her family for seasonal labor. Her body bore signs
of physical assault and apparent strangulation; however, the official forensic report ruled
her death a “suicide.”
According to local sources and eyewitnesses, Maryam was found hanging from a tree
with her own scarf, but her feet were touching the ground. Her face and hands showed
multiple bruises and deep scratches, and blood had reportedly flowed from her nose.
Sources familiar with the case say that local police initially told Maryam’s family that she
had been killed. Nonetheless, the official report from the Forensic Medicine
Organization concluded the cause of death as suicide. Her body was returned to the
family two days later, along with a directive to conduct the burial in total silence.
Some local sources have claimed that Maryam was raped before her death and that
several orchard workers were detained on suspicion of involvement. However, no formal
details regarding these arrests or any investigation process have been released.
Femicide and Layered Discrimination
Children and teens like Maryam, living under the pressure of poverty and unsafe
migration, are vulnerable to sexual and systemic violence. The secrecy of the
responsible institutions, conflicting reports, and pressure to bury her in silence all raise
serious concerns of a cover-up. This case reveals not only the pervasive injustice
against women and girls but also layers of racial discrimination and the vulnerability of
migrant communities in Iran.
The removal of Maryam killing is part of a broader structural injustice against
migrant children, those without power or platforms to speak for themselves.
The Demands of the Stop Honor Killings Campaign:
 Establish an independent truth-finding committee with participation from child
rights advocates, independent lawyers, and migrant community representatives
 Public and transparent release of the autopsy report and forensic findings
 Unbiased legal investigation and prosecution of any suspects involved in rape
and killing
 Legal protection and security for Maryam’s family throughout the justice process

 Prohibition of child labor for migrant children in uninsured and unregulated jobs
Do not silence Maryam’s voice.
What happened to Maryam reflects deep wounds in the structure of discrimination,
injustice, and institutional violence. In the face of efforts to erase her story, we stand firm
to keep her call for justice alive.

#StopHonorKillingsCampaign

#MaryamEshaghi

#SafetyForWomen

#WomenHaveTheRightToLive

#NoToViolenceAgainstWomen

#TheIslamicRepublicIsResponsible

#NoToMisogynistCulture

#SayHerName

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